Greens move on inquiry
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will today move a motion to establish a Senate inquiry to review the Greens 2010 same-sex marriage bill.
On the first parliamentary sitting day of the year, Hanson-Young will move to establish a Senate committee to investigate the issue and offer the public a chance to have a say. It’s likely the motion will be voted on tomorrow.
“There’s been a lot of talk over the summer break about marriage equality, where this reform will get up to in this place this year, and I am optimistic that in 2012 that we will be able to… look back and have achieved marriage equality,” Hanson-Young said earlier today.
“But in order to do that we need to allow for a very open and transparent and honest debate.
“We know there are some people who don’t understand or don’t agree with removing this discrimination, a Senate inquiry on the bill will ensure the community has the opportunity to convince their members of parliament… why [this is an] important reform and why we should be allowing love the reign.”
The push for an inquiry, seen as a tactic to buy time for lobbyists to continue pushing the issue with MPs, was welcomed today by same-sex marriage advocates.
Australian Marriage Equality (AME) national convenor Alex Greenwich said the inquiry was a “winnable way forward.”
“Having spoken to supportive and undecided MPs in both major parties, we have identified a marriage equality inquiry as the best way to alleviate outstanding concerns about this reform,” Greenwich said.
“The inquiry will provide a forum to deal with issues raised by marriage equality like protecting religious freedoms, the inadequacy of civil unions and the constitutionality of reform.
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) national spokeswoman Shelley Argent said the Senate inquiry would give parents a chance to have a say about the issue.
“The many thousands of Australian parents with gay sons and lesbian daughters welcome this inquiry as a way to have our voices heard,” Argent said.
“We can give our children everything they need in life, but only the Government can give them equality.”
The inquiry has also been welcomed by grassroots lobby group GetUp!, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, Psychologists for Marriage Equality and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
The push for equality before the law is mind boggling stuff.
Dog whistler Malcolm Turnbull said his electorate overwhelmingly supports Marriage equality, but he does not, the Labor Party supports Marriage Equality- the Prime Minister does not. Poll after poll shows the majority of Australians support Marriage Equality, but the Prime Minister has joined forces with Tony Abbott to stop marriage equality.
Another piece of the bizarre shape of Australian politics, you can be married overseas, with the blessing of the Australian Government, but just do not do commit here, it’s illegal to have a marriage like celebration under the Marriage Act!
The inquiry will show most politicians did not consult, those that did such as Malcolm Turnbull, have decided not to follow the expresses wishes of their electorate anyway. So if they were a business, you take them to Fair Trading based on the dodge promises they made to represent their voters.
Now it is time for a good glass of red, while I ponder who the Prime Minister and Liberal/National Party are really governing for, if it is not the people who elected them? Are they washing themselves with holy water blessed by the Far Right of the Catholic Church? I mean, the Catholic SDA Union holds the numbers that keep Gillard in the lodge having snag or two on Sunday, and we all know which ring Tony Abbott was caught kissing by the Chasers and Lateline- No Mrs Abbott, sorry it was not yours!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvYzLIywCiA